Air Traffic Control & Airport Command Centres

KVM Extension/Data Visualisation Technology Solutions

Black Box designs, sources and implements high-performance solutions for the most demanding Air Traffic Control Centres and Airport network applications. Our KVM (Keyboard-Video-Mouse) and Professional AV solutions help coordinating flight departures and arrivals and control overflying traffic which requires high operational safety and reliability of all IT systems. All of it with the focus on increasing operational efficiency, providing centralised management, and reducing manpower demands.

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Air Traffic & Ground Traffic Control Monitoring

Real-time ATC data distribution from take-off to landing is crucial for safe air operations. For this to happen, air traffic controllers usually follow regular patterns and develop routine scans, gathering information in a structured and consistent manner from various screens. Due to large data volumes processed by multiple PCs and servers, employees face challenges in focusing on their work as they might get distracted by fan noise and heat emission.

KVM technology allows any air traffic controller to access multiple computers through one single set of keyboard/video/mouse, committing to a safer environment with increased operational efficiency and enhanced situational awareness. In addition to increasing operator´s working ergonomics, KVM end-to-end systems securely transmit uncompressed video (pixel by pixel, no dropped frames) and peripheral signals over distances up to 80 kilometres, which can help ATC organisations to securely locate critical computing assets away from user desktops. KVM frees up space in the control room while keeping the environment undisturbed by computer emissions such as heat and noise, isolating all computing resources in a climate-controlled, secure server room. This allows controllers to focus on executing their demanding tasks without any interruptions.

Display ATC video and runway footage
Camera footage can be forwarded digitally from the ATC control tower to an air traffic control centre to be displayed on video walls, in some cases trough a 360-degree view. Image monitoring can also be combined with other systems which the air traffic controllers use to manage the traffic, such as radar display, navigation aids and information about flight plans and weather conditions.

Event-driven visualisation with real-time situational awareness
Visualise runway footage such as departure queues on a single video wall

Streamlining ATC footage in Air Traffic Control Centres
Video recording and streaming with lossless compression, providing accuracy and dependability for ATCs, training & simulation, and command & control environments

Air traffic surveillance for automatic dependent surveillance – broadcast
Allowing air traffic surveillance information that enables an aircraft to be accurately tracked via satellite navigation by air traffic controllers and pilots without the need for conventional radar. Surveillance information includes an aircraft's identification, altitude, velocity and heading.

Air Traffic Controller Workstation Ergonomics

Air traffic controllers have to keep track of critical flight traffic information, such as location, identity and altitude of the airplanes. Therefore, the air traffic controller's working position (CWP) has to be set to support optimal concentration and workflow efficiency. These factors play a fundamental role for the control centre's infrastructure. Our KVM solutions enable operators to benefit from:

Airport Collaborative Decision Making

KVM technology leverages content and equipment access where multiple computers can be accessed from one console. This provides air traffic controllers with a detailed overview of critical visual data and improves reaction times to critical events.

ATC Security & Predictive Maintenance

KVM offers secure redundancy and fall-back systems with comprehensive, preventative monitoring for the unlikely event of a component failure, providing for maximum uptime (24/7) and high availability of all critical systems.

ATC Centralised Control

Our solutions help to achieve more accurate take-off time predictions and enable Network Managers to make more precise calculations of network demand. This enhanced flow and capacity management will result in better ATFM slot allocation, improved compliance and a reduced number of missed slots.

4K KVM over IP Matrix Switching

Emerald™ 4K KVM over IP is a Unified KVM converged system that delivers pixel-perfect HD or 4K video over an IP network, a proprietary direct connection or both. Access and manage an unlimited number of servers, PCs, and virtual machines from any location across a dedicated KVM network, an existing IP network, or even the internet.

Network Command Centre

When connected within a KVM Matrix Switch, Boxilla™ allows centralised management of KVM and AV networks, establishing the perfect focal point for video and data distribution from remote servers to work places. Boxilla™ allows IT managers to centrally control and monitor network performance, define access rights, deploy new end points and much more.

Event-Driven Visualisation

Use the Radian Video Wall Processor to create multiple small to massive video walls to visualise mission-critical information and to improve situational awareness, decision making, and response times in control rooms.

Room Control and Multi-System Automation

ControlBridge™ enables operators to trigger control room systems and room automation via an intuitive touch panel GUI or even mobile devices. Control signals via Ethernet or a serial connection to a video wall through the use of dynamic API commands or preset functions.

ControlBridge™ Flyer

Airport Passenger Information / Airport Digital Signage

Airport terminal displays can be found throughout almost every airport worldwide and play a crucial role in displaying real-time flight departure and arrival information to passengers. Depending on the size of the airport or station, there may be several sets of information display systems, sometimes for multiple terminals/platforms or for different operators.

Our solutions help distribute and display this video data on several digital signage displays through a centralised content management system. Like this, it's possible to simultaneously deliver real-time information to passengers through displays located hundreds of metres away from any content player or source PC.

Airport Passenger Information Systems Visualisation

Redundant Video over IP Streaming

Encode video signals from any digital signage player and distribute them over IP networks to a large number of screens. The signals can even be transmitted to a display, a video wall and a digital signage system all at the same time.

H.264 Encoders/
Decoders Manual

Baggage Handling

One of the most routinal services of an airport consists of screening, unloading, sorting, storing, transporting and loading baggage. All of which is processed and monitored in the baggage handling control room which is expected to deliver a reliable service. For baggage controllers this can become a hot and noisy operating environment with heat-emitting and very loud computers.

Our KVM solutions allow:

Safer controlled operational environment: Computers to be removed from the baggage room to a secure server room

4K KVM over IP Matrix Switching

Emerald™ 4K KVM over IP is a Unified KVM converged system that delivers pixel-perfect HD or 4K video over an IP network, a proprietary direct connection or both. Access and manage an unlimited number of servers, PCs, and virtual machines from any location across a dedicated KVM network, an existing IP network, or even the internet.

High-Performance KVM-over-IP Extension

Extend AV signals over CATx or fibre with Agility transmitters and receivers. Agility enables you to do more and go further with pixel-perfect digital video over nearly unlimited distances within your TCP/IP network.